


Meeting, The

by LittleEva (orphan_account)



Category: The West Wing, The X-Files
Genre: Crossover, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-08-25
Updated: 2005-08-25
Packaged: 2019-05-30 13:23:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15097553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/LittleEva
Summary: Josh meets Alex Krycek Crossover with the X Files. Josh/Alex Krycek.





	Meeting, The

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Title: The Meeting   
Author: LittleEva   
Dedication: To my dear beta Maig, who has read and re-read so many of my Xfiles and Sentinel stories. Also to Torch who wrote one of the best slash stories I've ever read "Something Wicked" This is something I cooked up here at work, hopefully my new Gateway will come and I'll be able to do all of this in the privacy of my home instead of the privacy of my office.  
Posted: Not yet  
Archive: Sure to The West Wing slash, anyplace else, please ask.  
Series: Not sure yet.  
Pairing: Crossover with the X Files, Josh/Alex Krycek  
Rating: Let's say R, not quite NC-17 yet  
Notes: None yet but there may be

**The Meeting by** **LittleEva**

The dark haired, green-eyed man stared at the small shot glass on the bar in front of him. He sighed, picked it up with his leather clad gloved hand and drank the contents down quickly. He shuddered for a second and then sighed. The vodka in the US was nothing compared to Russian vodka but it would due in a pinch and right now Alex Krycek felt as though he was in a pinch.

Well, maybe what he wasn't in was a pinch, more like a situation. That thought made him smile. Situation, that's what this could be called, a situation of the heart. He placed his glass heavily on the bar, which startled the bartender who'd been serving a well-dressed man at the other end of the bar. The bartended stopped what he was doing and hurried to Krycek, pouring more vodka into his shot glass.

"Hey, I was here first," the well-dressed man said rather loudly. The few patrons of the Georgetown bar, few because it was a weeknight stared at him.

"Coming right over sir," the bartender responded quickly and rushed back.

Krycek chose that moment to look the man over. He was around his age, maybe older, maybe younger. He had one of those faces which made it hard to tell exactly what age someone was, like his face…like Mulder's face. `Damn, I'm not supposed to think about him.' Alex thought. Fox Mulder was gone, taken by, whatever, by whomever; he'd become his own X File. That thought almost made Krycek laugh, too bad it wasn't anything to laugh about. Fox Mulder, his ex partner, sometimes foe, sometimes lover was gone, taken by aliens, Skinner said. Krycek thought that was funny, Skinner was one who never believed but neither did Krycek until he was locked in that silo with… it.

`Get back to the present,' he told himself. Krycek blinked and looked again at the stranger who seemed to be even drunker than he'd been seconds ago. He was wearing a long tan raincoat over his blue suit, his hair was tousled yet cut neatly. He was dressed well, better than Mulder ever dressed and had a look that screamed "government employee." Krycek thought he looked familiar, though he couldn't place where he'd seen the man before. `Hope he's not here to kill me because he's dead meat tonight.' Krycek could take him with his good arm tied behind his back.

Suddenly the man made a wide sweeping gesture with his left hand and accidentally hit the breasts of a young redheaded woman, accompanied by an almost balding man about ten years her senior. The woman gasped when the well-dressed man's arm came into contact with her breasts, her companion jumped to her defense.

"Hey, you hit my friend there!" he shouted.

Krycek could tell that the balding man was quite inebriated. He sat back to see what would happen next. The well-dressed man got off his barstool. "I am very sorry that I hit you ma'am. It was merely an accident."

Krycek nearly burst out laughing. Though he was certain the man was sincere, there was a sarcastic tone in his voice that made the balding man puff out his chest. He stood in front of "his" woman, ready to defend her honor.

"I didn't think that was funny!" he said. "Who the fuck do you think you are anyway! Think just because you're wearing some fucking fancy suit you think you can just put your hands on a lady."

The well-dressed man blinked. "Ah, the lady. Please, forgive my arm for making contact with your bosom, and I hope it was as good for you as it was for me."

Krycek laughed but the balding man paid him no attention. "Step outside you smug motherfucker."

"I'll do no such thing. You want a fight, come and get me."

Alex stared at the well-dressed man. He was obviously someone who'd never seen a real fight anywhere except on TV. Probably from New England, definitely college educated; the balding man however had been in more than his share of fights judging from the condition of his nose. Krycek didn't know what it was, maybe because the well- dressed man reminded him of Mulder. Maybe it was because he was getting mellow in his old age and didn't want to see another human being hurt, or maybe it was just because Krycek hadn't kicked someone's ass in a long time and now was as good a time as any.

Krycek walked over to the trio, pulled the redhead aside and stepped in between the combatants, he faced the balding man.

"What the fuck's your problem?" the man said.

"You," Krycek said. Before the balding man could say another word, Krycek pushed him up against the wall, his knee gently touching his groin. "I don't like trouble." Krycek said in a voice so low only his potential victim could hear, "So here's what's gonna happen. You take your lady friend and get the fuck out of here."

The bald man pushed against Krycek, "What if I don't want to do that."

"Okay." Krycek nodded. Then with the quickness of a panther, he shifted his weight so his knee was no longer touching the man's groin, reached underneath his black leather jacket, pulled out the knife and pressed it to the man's groin. Alex felt the man heartbeat increase and heard his breath quicken, he leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "If you don't leave, I'll cut your fucking balls off right in front of your girlfriend and be gone before you hit the floor. Then neither one of us will have a nice evening. Choice is yours."

Alex stared into the man's eyes without blinking and watched as anger, fear, then resolution passed through in a matter of seconds. "All right. Let me up."

"Slowly. You make one wrong move, you're dead," Alex smiled.

The bald man nodded. "Got you." Alex released him and the man slowly moved away, looking back at Krycek as he moved.

"Come on," he said, grabbing his girlfriend's arm. The woman who previously seemed smug that two men might be fighting for her honor frowned at her boyfriend.

"What…" was all she was able to get out before being dragged out of the bar. Krycek smiled, put the knife back in it's sheath inside the jacket and then started to return to his seat when he felt a hand on his good arm.

"Hey!"

Krycek found himself looking into the eyes of the well-dressed man. The man's eyes were brown, light brown so much like…his eyes. Alex recovered himself and shook the hand off.

"What?"

"What did you say to him? He ran out of here like a fucking bat out of hell!"

Krycek shrugged. "Just told him the truth."

The man nodded. "Probably saved my ass," he said under his breath. He looked up at Krycek.

"Can I buy you a drink? What are you drinking? I'll have one with you?"

Krycek wanted to laugh, this man did not need anymore to drink tonight but if he wanted to buy him vodka all night it was all right with him. "Vodka," Alex said.

He turned to the bartender. "Bartender, two vodkas please!"

The man behind the bar looked at Krycek who nodded; then he poured two vodkas into shot glasses. Alex sat down and the well-dressed man sat next to him.

"I…I usually don't get into many fights," he said.

"Yeah, I figured that."

"But I bet you do, I bet you're a tough guy."

Alex picked up his glass with his prosthetic hand and drank it down, the well-dressed man did the same. "How come you've got a glove only on one hand?" he asked.

Krycek shrugged. "It's a Michael Jackson thing."

The well-dressed man laughed out loud. "That's funny…and I'm drunk so anything's funny I guess."

"I guess."

He drank his vodka down and shook his head vigorously. "That's some nasty shit!"

Krycek laughed. "You should have real Russian vodka."

"Oh yeah? You Russian?"

Krycek shook his head. "My folks were."

That seemed to interest the man. "Really? Spies?"

Krycek laughed. "No, just normal working class folk."

"Oh, I see." Then he extended his right hand. "I'm Josh."

Krycek shook it. "Alex."

Josh shook his hand and kept shaking it for a longer time than was normal for a handshake. Suddenly Josh realized what he was doing and drew his hand away. "I must be really drunk."

"You are."

Josh laughed. "I am huh? And I bet I could get drunker…drunker, is that a word?"

"I'm not sure."

Josh banged his glass on the counter. "Barkeep, I'd like another vodka!"

Alex put his hand gently on Josh's shoulder. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

Josh stared at Alex and Alex nearly burst out laughing, the man's eyes were glassy. Alex wondered if Josh could even see.

"I think it's a very good idea." He shook his finger at Alex. "Alex, I am a grown man and I can handle my liquor…" Josh suddenly stopped talking and stared hard at Alex.

"What?" Alex said.

"You've got fucking long eyelashes," Josh suddenly said, "I didn't think guys are supposed to have lashes that long."

Alex was stunned. The only man who ever commented on his eyelashes was Mulder and it was during a very intimate moment.

"Thanks, I think," Alex said.

Josh looked into Alex's eyes and smiled. "No problem." Then he switched his attention to the bartender. "Where's my vodka sir!" He banged his glass on the counter again.

The man looked over at Alex and shook his head. "I can't serve him."

Alex stared into the bartender's eyes. "Serve him, I'll be responsible."

The bartender stared at Alex's unmoving gaze and shuddered as if he were afraid that Alex Krycek would jump over the counter and beat him senseless. Then he nodded, brought over the bottle of Absolut , poured more into the shot glass and walked away quickly.

Josh looked at Alex, and then the bartender. "You know that man?"

Alex shook his head. "No."

"He's scared shitless of you." Josh then grabbed his glass and put it to his lips, he threw his head back and drank it down. Alex had to jump up and grab Josh to keep him from falling backwards onto the floor.

"I'm fine," Josh said putting his glass back on the counter. "I'm jus' fine…" Josh started slurring his words, "Now…I better go home…'cause I gotta work tomorrow…that's right…. unless of course it is tomorrow…." Josh put a twenty-dollar bill on the table and headed for the door. Alex jumped up, nodded to the bartender and grabbed Josh's shoulder.

"You can't drive home."

Josh spun around and nearly fell. He grabbed Alex by the shoulder and shook his head. "I'm fine, I'm in perfect drivin' shape…so don't try and stop me."

Alex shook his head. There was no way in hell that Josh could even get home by cab in his condition and that condition slowly worsened when Josh's eyes rolled in back of his head and he fell against Alex's body. The bartender laughed. "Told you he was drunk," he said.

Alex turned around and nodded. "Thanks." He grabbed Josh's left arm, put his around his shoulders and dragged the nearly unconscious man out of the bar. Once outside, Alex hoped that Josh would regain consciousness long enough to at least tell him where he lived but that didn't happen. Alex rolled his eyes. "Fuck you Mulder for turning me into a softie…I'd sooner lay your ass on the street buddy." Alex dragged Josh to his car, opened the door and pushed him into the passenger seat. Thankfully Josh didn't fall over but rested his head against the seat rest. Alex quickly rushed around and got into the driver's seat. He started the car just as Josh's head came in contact with his shoulder.

"Hmmmm…." Josh said… "leather…smells nice…"

"Sure," Alex said pulling out of the parking space as Josh smiled against his jacket. "Mulder never really was into leather," Alex said to himself.

Walter Skinner was away and told Alex Krycek he could use his apartment in Crystal City. That was partially true. Alex Krycek appeared in Skinner's office and told the AD that since he was going away for a few days, he, Krycek could use the Crystal City apartment. At first Skinner said no but then Krycek reminded him of the switch he could turn on which would cause the AD physical suffering and possibly death. Walter Skinner handed over his keys.

"You rat bastard," Skinner said under his breath.

Krycek just shrugged. "Thanks."

Krycek pulled Josh into Skinner's apartment. Josh opened his eyes half way. "Home," he murmured and then he closed his eyes. "Thanks Donna."

Alex smiled. Just his luck, Josh probably had a fight with his wife or girlfriend, came to the bar and got drunk, that comment about Alex's lashes was just that, a drunken comment. No matter, Josh was too drunk and Alex missed Mulder. Alex hadn't picked up a stranger for sex in awhile though sometimes strangers were safer than friends, he knew that from Marita. The sex was always good with Marita but Alex made a point of leaving right after, he didn't trust her enough to close his eyes and got to sleep. Since the Smoking Man was dead, Alex did feel safer maybe that was why he'd taken Josh home tonight.

Alex managed to get Josh upstairs and into Skinner's bedroom. He sat the man down on the bed and began to undress him, a task made difficult because Josh kept falling over. Alex took off the man's raincoat, then his suit jacket, tie and shirt. Alex stopped when he caught sight of the long scar on Josh's chest. He traced it with his fingertip. This man had surgery recently, very serious surgery. Josh murmured something and grabbed Alex's jacket. "Leather…I like it baby…" he said.

"You like leather? Okay." Alex took off his jacket and put it around Josh's shoulders. That seemed to calm the other man down though as soon as Alex released him, Josh fell backwards on the bed, the leather jacket around him. Alex smiled and then removed Josh's shoes, socks and pants. Standing up, Alex looked at the royal blue boxers and shook his head. "He'll be shocked enough in the morning." Once again, Alex pulled Josh up and managed to get him under the covers.

"Thanks baby," he mumbled.

"No problem," Alex said. He turned to Josh's discarded clothes and decided to straighten up. Mulder was such a slob too, he'd always leave his suit jacket and pants on the floor and then complain the next morning when they were wrinkled. Alex folded up Josh's shirt and hung up his pants. When he went to hand up his suit jacket a wallet fell out of his inside pocket. Alex picked it up and hesitated but then he shook his head, maybe "Donna" was worried about him. He opened the wallet and immediately his eyes fell on the ID inside.

"Oh fuck," Alex whispered. `My fucking luck, I pick up a guy who works in the White House.' He sighed, started to put the ID back and hesitated. The survival instincts Krycek had honed while on the run were kicking in and telling him that maybe this man could be an important ally; but he had to know who he was and what he did in the White House first. So Alex took Josh's ID and turned off the light. Then he left the room and went downstairs where his laptop was. He had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

Joshua Lyman noticed a few things as he started to wake up. First, he had one hell of a headache, second his mouth was incredibly dry, third there was something strange wrapped around him. Josh felt the material and realized it was leather, which was strange in itself since he didn't own anything leather. `Maybe I should open my eyes,' he thought. He did that too quickly only to close them again when the pounding in his head increased. "Shit," he said in a scratchy voice.

`Let's do this again Josh, this time slowly.' Josh opened his eyes and looked at the jacket. Well it didn't belong to a woman, it was a man's jacket and he was wearing only his boxers. `Shit, so I'm lying in bed wearing only my boxers and some guy's leather jacket around me… probably Sam playing some kind of practical joke.' That had to be it. Josh opened his eyes more and realized to his horror that he wasn't in his or Sam Seaborn's bedroom. "Oh fuck." Josh looked around the bedroom, and judged by the dark colors that it was a man's bedroom. `Okay, so I'm in some guy's bedroom, in my boxers wearing a leather jacket.' Josh slowly sat up, grateful he wasn't handcuffed to anything and ran his hand through his hair. He saw his suit jacket, pants and shirt hung up. His wallet was sitting on the bedside table. Josh went through it, all of his money was there as well as his ID. `If someone went through my wallet they know who I am…where I work…shit…where I work…." Josh noticed the clock on the same bedside table read 8am. "Oh Fuck!" Josh shouted.

The next sound he heard was someone outside the door. Before Josh could react, though he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do, a tall man came into the room. He was wearing a white tee shirt and jeans, had dark hair and very large eyes, Josh couldn't tell the color.

"I see you're up," he said.

Josh stared at him. He looked familiar. Again Josh ran his hand through his hair. Yesterday, he'd had a bad day yesterday and went to a bar in Georgetown. He remembered accidentally brushing up against a woman and her boyfriend getting angry, then there was some guy wearing a….a black leather jacket who said something to the boyfriend who quickly left the bar. Josh looked from the black leather jacket to the man who was approaching the bed. Josh wondered if he should offer the guy money, or maybe try to talk him into not hurting or blackmailing him but he found himself strangely at a loss for words.

"You're in Crystal City," the man said. Josh still continued to stare. The man smiled and Josh noticed his long eye lashes. He vaguely remembered making a comment about men with long eyelashes. "It's my friend's apartment he lets me use it sometimes."

Josh wondered if this guy was some kind of male hustler. He looked too old to be on the streets though and too smart as well.

"I'm Alex Krycek, we met last night. You had too much to drink, almost got into a fight and passed out when you drank too much vodka. You kept asking me if I was Russian and kept drinking the vodka. I probably should have stopped you. Sorry I didn't."

"I have to get to work now," was all Josh could get out.

Alex ran his hand through his hair. "Yeah, I guess you do, working for the White House and all."

Alex folded his arms across his chest and stared at Josh.

"You know…"

"I looked at your ID, I wasn't being nosy but you said some woman's name, Donna I think. I thought she was your wife of girlfriend and I was going to call her. No one answered."

"She's my assistant."

"Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff," Alex smiled.

Josh just stared at him, eyes wide. Alex laughed. "And I bet you're wondering if I took pictures of you doing strange things with children and animals and are going to blackmail you?" Alex shook his head. "I don't do shit like that. The guy who owns this place is an AD in the FBI so I know a lot about secrets."

"Are you FBI?"

Alex grinned and shook his head. "Not anymore. I'm…well I'm….I'm an assassin."

Josh's eyes widened even more, his mouth opened. Alex started laughing. "I'm just pulling your leg, I'm in security….I do different things."

"For the government?"

"Sometimes," Alex shrugged, "for whoever can pay. I'm not biased."

There was Josh with degrees from Harvard and Yale, a Fullbright scholar and all he could do was just stare at this strange and very handsome man. It had been a long time since Josh had been with anyone, it was longer since he'd been with a man; when was the last time, law school? Damn, but this Alex Krycek was good looking.

"Um…I…when I first saw you I thought you looked familiar, then I looked on the `net and I remembered, you got shot right? Some white pride bullshit group?"

Josh nodded. "Virginia White Pride."

"The guys were killed right? The two shooters but not the guy on the ground?"

Josh continued to look at Alex and wondered why he was asking questions about the shooting. He didn't look like a Virginia White Pride type and he also didn't look like a Klan watch type.

"Right, they sent him to prison or something."

"Shame they didn't hang him by the thumbs huh?"

Josh shrugged. "I don't know." His eyes fell on the leather clad left hand, he remembered last night Alex wearing only one leather glove. He wondered why he was wearing it inside.

Alex followed Josh's eyes and cleared his throat . "Look, if you want to call your office, your phone's one the table. I'll leave so you can call. The bathroom's behind that door, if you need anything just give me a call."

"Okay Alex."

As soon as Alex left the room, Josh grabbed his phone from the table, a movement, which caused the room to spin, and his head to ache. At first he was going to call his office but thought better of it. Donna would definitely ask too many questions and Josh didn't have all the answers himself. Leo would only yell at him, so he called the one person he hoped would be tolerant and be able to bullshit to Leo and the president.

The phone rang three times and each time Josh said a prayer to every deity that he knew. Finally he heard that voice. "Sam Seaborn."

"Sam, it's Josh look…"

"Josh, where the hell are you. You were supposed to be here three hours ago! I've been calling

your house…what happened Josh…"

Josh's head began to throb again. "Is Leo pissed?"

"Yes."

"Is the president angry?"

"He doesn't know you're not here yet. Where the hell are you Josh?"

"I'm…I'm okay…"

"Josh, yesterday you said you were going out to get drunk. You didn't do anything stupid did you? Do I have to come pick you up somewhere? This isn't going to make the newspapers. Josh, you really should have learned from my mistake."

"Sam, it's not like that. I'm all right. I'll be there by 11. Okay?"

"Josh…"

"Sam, I promise I'll explain everything to you when I get there but first I have to get there and I can't get there if I'm on the phone talking to you. All right?"

"Sure Josh, just be here." And he hung up.

Josh turned off the phone and realized that the leather jacket was still around his shoulders. Josh fished through the pockets but found no ID. He poked his hand through until he found a sheath that was empty but small enough to conceal a small gun or a large knife. Josh then remembered the frightened look on the man's face last night before he left the bar, after Alex pushed him…against a wall? Was that what happened?

Josh moved the leather off of his body, noticing the smooth feel of the material against his skin. He put the jacket to his nose and inhaled. There was that warm, leathery smell mixed in with something else, sweat and musk. Josh smiled remembering the last time he'd seen a jacket like this. He was in Yale and the man's name was Michael. Michael was handsome with olive skin, dark eyes and curly black hair. He was an English major and told Josh many stories about the Greeks and Romans, how it was common for men to love each other and no one thought it was sinful or dirty. Then Michael proceeded to show him just what it meant for two men to love each other.

Josh closed his eyes as he remembered Michael kissing him, touching Michael's skin and laughing at the feel of stubble. It was different from kissing a woman, not better or worse but different. Michael told him that men knew how to please each other, he was right. Loving a man, loving Michael wasn't like anything Josh had ever experienced before or after. Josh thought he and Michael would last forever, they'd finish law school, get an apartment in New York and live happily ever after but that didn't happen. Michael was from a religious Jewish family and as soon as he graduated he got engaged to a girl who went to the same Synagogue as his parents. Josh was devastated. Michael told him not to worry, Josh would marry too and the two of them could resume their relationship. Josh didn't want that. He wanted Michael to himself. Michael told him he was silly and idealistic then he walked out of the bedroom, Josh never spoke to him again.

`It's the leather, that's why I'm thinking of Mike now.' Josh reasoned. Or was it? Alex was a very handsome man, very masculine. Josh might have thought he was straight if he hadn't looked at him, looked at him the way a man might look at a woman he's interested in.

Josh slowly got out of bed, carefully laying the jacket down. He started to walk to the bedroom when he looked across the room at the dresser. `Well, you looked on the `net about me, let's see if there's anything about you.' Josh opened the drawers and looked for any papers or ID or anything. In one drawer there were shirts, in another ties, in another underwear. It was in that drawer that Alex found a passport, he opened it and saw it did not belong to Alex Krycek but someone named Walter Skinner. Skinner was an older man, probably late forties. Maybe this was the man, who lived in this apartment, Alex's friend or lover?

Josh put the passport back and padded back into the bathroom with his head still throbbing, as he tried to think of a suitable story to tell Sam Seaborn when he got to work.

Alex Krycek was downstairs seated at his laptop when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Instinctively Krycek went for his Sig Sauer, then he shook his head as he remembered who was upstairs. When Alex saw Josh, he rose and closed the laptop. Josh looked the same as he did last night except his tie was in his hands and the top two buttons of his shirt were undone

"You find everything you need?"

Josh looked from Alex to the laptop. "Yeah," he said and handed Alex back the leather jacket, as Josh passed the garment back to Alex he allowed his fingers to brush lightly against the younger man's. Alex did not draw his hand away he looked into Josh's eyes and slightly nodded, letting the other man know what he was doing was all right with him.

"Thanks," Alex said, never taking his eyes off Josh. "I…uh I'll drive you back to the restaurant.

Your car's there."

"I can take a cab."

"No, it's no trouble."

"You don't have to work?" Josh asked.

"Not today."

"Yeah, I've got to go home, change and then get my ass to work."

"Are you in trouble?"

Josh shook his head. "Nothing I can't get out of."

Alex put on his jacket as Josh put on his raincoat. "Bartlet's a good guy."

"You vote for him?"

Alex smiled. "I was out of the country."

"Yeah," said Josh.

Alex could tell from Josh's expression that he didn't quite believe him.

"Does your work take you out of the country a lot?"

"I'm not a spy if that's what you're asking me."

"Uh huh." Josh again looked at the closed laptop. Alex looked a Josh.

"Think we should get going?" Alex said.

"Sure."

During the drive to the bar, Josh wanted to ask Alex so many questions. What was he working on when he came downstairs and why did he close the laptop so quickly? Why was there a pouch for a knife in his leather jacket? Who was Walter Skinner? When was Krycek in the FBI and why did he leave? Why do you have to be so damn good looking? `Damn, I've never seen a guy with lashes that long,'

As they drove Alex's thigh would "accidentally" brush against Josh's but Josh was certain it wasn't an accident and he too pressed his thigh "accidentally" against Alex's.

"Do you live in Virginia?" Josh asked.

"I'm around."

"What does that mean?"

"It means just what I said, I'm around."

"Leave the country a lot?"

"Sometimes. You ask a lot of questions. Shit, I forgot, you're a smart guy, a lawyer."

"I bet you're a smart guy too."

"Maybe, I'm alive."

Josh's eyes fell once again on the gloved left hand that rested on the wheel. He noticed that it seemed stiffer than his right hand. "Were you burned?"

"What?"

"Your hand. You had a leather glove on last night, you're still wearing it."

Alex glanced at Josh, then looked at the road again. "I had an accident."

"My sister died in a fire. She was babysitting me and…"

Alex stared at Josh. "Your sister? What happened to her?"

"There was a fire in the house. She was babysitting me. When the fire started I ran out of the house, she never made it."

Alex sighed as if he was expecting Josh to say something else.

"What?" Josh said.

"Nothing. You remind me of someone. He had a sister too, she was… abducted."

"Kidnapped?"

"Yeah," Alex said shortly.

"Did they ever find her?"

Alex shook his head. "I don't think so, I'm not sure."

Josh thought that was a strange thing to say. Either she was found or she wasn't. "So what happened to this guy?"

"He's gone."

"Gone?"

"Yeah, gone. Don't know where he is, and don't know when he's coming back."

Josh noticed the tightness in Alex's voice when he spoke about this man. "Were you two close?"

Alex chuckled. "Yes, no, sometimes. It was a very complicated relationship."

"But it's over?"

"Yeah," Alex sighed.

"Sorry," Josh looked at Alex and moved his thigh against his.

Alex quickly looked at Josh and smiled. "Thanks."

"Yeah. It's not good when you lose someone you care about."

Alex just nodded.

Alex parked near the parking lot, the area was nearly deserted because of the early hour. Josh breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his car. "Why did I think it wouldn't be here."

"Nice car."

"Economical." Josh said.

"That too."

Josh looked into Alex's eyes and Alex felt a heat rise in his chest as he looked back. For some reason he didn't see Fox Mulder's eyes now, he saw this strange, talkative, smart man who worked in the White House.

"You better get going," Alex said.

"Yeah I better." Josh didn't open his door, instead he turned back and looked at Alex. "So this is it? You take me home, give me a nice warm bed, a hot shower and not you're going to dump me here and pretend this never happened."

Alex smiled. "You work for the White House Josh…"

"I'm aware of that Alex. Do you have a business card? Can I call you…if…if I might want to return the favor…"

"No card." `It's up to you Josh.'

Josh sighed and reached inside his jacket pocket. He pulled out a business card, grabbed a pen from another pocket and scribbled a number down on the blank side. "Here's my business card, that's my cell number on the back."

Alex shook his head. It wouldn't do if he were killed by one of the Smoking Man's cronies or Russians looking for aliens and Josh's card were found on him. Josh was a good man, educated, well spoken, worked for the president and didn't deserve all the hell that surely would fall on him if the wrong people found out he was connected to him. Mulder could handle it, Mulder went looking for it, Josh didn't.

"Don't give me that card," Alex said.

"Alex…"

"Look Josh, it's complicated but…" then Alex found himself looking into those brown eyes again

and he nearly forgot how to talk. So Alex didn't talk, instead he leaned over and kissed Josh gently on the lips and waited, waited to see how Josh would react. Josh reacted by grasping Alex by the back of the head, pulling him close and taking over the kiss. Josh opened his mouth and began to suck on Alex's lips; that action caused Alex to open his mouth and accept Josh's tongue. For awhile the two men struggled for dominance in the kiss until Alex yielded, mainly to see if Josh really would take control and the older man did just that. Josh's hands were everywhere, in Alex's hair, playing with his nipples underneath his tee shirt, trying to press against his groin. Alex was so lost in pleasure he didn't notice when one of Josh's hands, one that was underneath his shirt, moved left, passed his nipple underneath his arm…his arm that wasn't there. Josh's hand suddenly stopped and Alex gasped.

"Shit," Alex said.

Josh looked into Alex's green eyes. "You lost your arm," he said.

Alex nodded. "Yeah, I'm surprised a graduate of Harvard and Yale didn't figure that out sooner."

"I thought it could have been a burn. You move it well."

Alex looked down. "I guess I should thank the doctors who gave me this one."

"Was it an accident?"

Alex smiled. "Of sorts. It's a long story Josh."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable I just…wanted to know. I'm sorry."

Alex looked into Josh's face and saw that the older man wasn't desgusted by what he felt, he was more ashamed of himself. He turned Josh's face to him and smiled. "I guess we're both scarred huh?"

Josh returned the smile. "Yeah. Now what was I doing before I was so rudely interrupted?"

"This." And the kiss began again. Alex pulled Josh closer to him still. He wished this could have happened earlier in Skinner's apartment but maybe it wouldn't have been right then. Josh had to get over the shock of what happened last night and he seemed quite over it.

Finally Alex pulled away. "Josh, you have got to get to work."

"Oh right. Work…you're right…work. My car's out there and I have to go home, change and get to work. Alex, please take my card."

Alex shook his head. "No. But…I…I do want to see you again Josh. Look, I'll get in touch with you."

"But how…"

"I'll get in touch with you, okay? I will."

"Really?" Josh said, his dark eyes wide.

Alex smiled. Even Mulder could never pout like that. "Really."

"'Kay," Josh said. "Bye Alex." He kissed Alex once on the lips, got out of the car and raced across the lot. Alex watched him as he got into his car and drove away, then he sighed and shook his head. "The fucking White House."

Josh strutted down the hall, smiling at everyone he saw. He had every reason to smile, his headache was gone and he had the most incredible morning. The problem was that he couldn't tell anyone about it but they didn't have to know everything about Joshua Lyman.

"Josh you're late," Donna said, waylaying him before he got to his office.

"I know."

"Are you sick?"

"Why?"

"You look flushed."

"Flushed?"

"Hot."

"I'm not hot. I just overslept, that's all. I had too much to drink last night and I overslept."

"Sam said he tried to call you ten times and no one answered."

"I turned my phone off, must have done that before I crashed."

"Josh."

"Yes Donna," Josh was almost in his office.

"I don't believe you. Leo's in your office."

"Leo's in my office?"

"Yes."

"When were you going to tell me that?"

"Right now."

Josh was about to walk into his office when he turned around and looked at his blonde assistant.

"Donnatella, I want you to do something for me, please?"

Donna sighed. "Yes Josh but Leo's waiting for you."

"I know that. But I want you to do something for me first. I want you to look up two names for me."

"Names?"

"Yes names."

Donna sighed again. "Okay," and she grabbed a pad and pen.

"Walter Skinner and Alex Krycek."

"How do you spell Krycek?"

"I don't know, KRYCEK KRYCHECK?"

"Who is he?"

"Who?"

"Alex Krycek?"

Josh smiled at Donna. "That's what I'm trying to find out."

Donna looked at Josh as if he'd lost his mind. "Josh," she finally said.

"I know, Leo's waiting for me."

At about ten o'clock that evening, Sam and Josh were in Sam's office discussing some of what went on that day. Sam was still trying to pull out of Josh exactly what happened last night and Josh was sticking to his story about getting drunk and falling into bed at some ungodly hour. There was a knock on the door and Sam said to come in.

Donna walked in, carrying two pieces of paper. "I found those names for you, well I sort of did."

"The names I asked for this morning?"

"Yes."

Josh looked at Sam who looked confused. Sam had told Josh many times that he had a bad poker face and Sam could see right through him. Josh rose and smiled at Sam. "I'll be right back."

Josh and Donna left Sam's office and headed down the corridor to Josh's office. When they were inside Josh's office and Josh closed the door behind him, Donna stared at him. "Is this some kind of government secret?"

"No. Why?"

Donna shook her head. "Well, Walter Skinner is an Assistant Director in the FBI here in Washington."

`So Krycek was right about him.' "What about the other name?"

"Well…he was in the FBI too a long time ago but…"

"But what?"

"Josh, he…it's like he doesn't exist anymore."

"How can you not exist anymore. Does it say he's dead?"

"No. He was in the FBI but then…it's weird…he's just gone. He doesn't exist anymore. There's nothing about him for the last five years."

Josh frowned. "Is there a picture?"

Donna nodded. She walked over to Josh's computer and pulled up the website, after a few keystrokes she stepped back. "There."

Josh looked over her shoulder at the face on the computer. It was him, Alex Krycek. He was younger, thinner, wearing too much hair gel but there were those unmistakable long lashes and beautiful green eyes. "Wow," he whispered.

"I found out something else that's weird. When Alex Krycek was in the FBI his partner was Fox Mulder. And Fox Mulder's listed as missing."

"Missing?" Josh said as he remembered Alex's words about a relationship being over, someone being gone. Josh's brain began churning. "Mulder, did he have a sister?"

"You didn't ask me that?"

"Okay." Josh moved in front of her and sat down at the computer. He looked up Fox Mulder. All that he found about Fox Mulder was a picture and the words AWOL. No personal information, nothing. "Shit," he whispered.

"Don't swear. Josh are you in some kind of trouble with the FBI?"

Josh got back to the Krycek page and looked at the outdated photo. He shook his head and smiled sadly. "No. I'm not in any trouble at all, not yet anyway."

THE END 


End file.
